AIUK46 no. 28 Grave stele of a family from Sestos

Grave stele of a family from Sestos

AIUK 4.6 (BM, Funerary Monuments) no. 28 Date: ca. 350 BC

(rosette?) [rosette?] Aristodike, Aristarchos, Athenais, Sestians. (relief)^[1]

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Greek text

References:

AIUK 4.6 (BM, Funerary Monuments) no. 28 (Translated text) (AIUK) (AIO)

IG II² 10262 (PHI)

GIBM I 108

Conze I no. 325

Clairmont, CAT 3.394a

Scholl, Bildfeldstelen no. 434

Ginestí Rosell no. 216

Translation by: Robert Pitt

AIO Images: 1

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Funerary

Findspot: Athens, in a church on the road to Kifissia (BM 1785,0527.6)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This stele was found by Richard Chandler in a church on the road to Kifissia and donated by the Society of Dilettanti to the British Museum in 1785. It preserves part of a relief dating to the mid-fourth century BC within a sunken panel depicting a seated Aristodike and standing Aristarchos facing a standing younger woman, Athenais. The two older figures are likely mother and father looking towards their deceased daughter. Names taken from Athens/Athena down to the late Classical period are normally held by citizens, which may suggest that the daughter of this metic family was born in Athens and given a name that suited her new home; or perhaps the name was given her by pro-Athenian parents before they came to Athens. Sestos lay at the narrowest part of the Hellespont and was taken by Athens in 479/8 BC (Hdt. 9.114-19; Th. 1.89.2). It is listed as a tribute paying member of the Delian League from 446/5 to 421/0, and an Athenian cleruchy (settlement of Athenian citizen landholders) was installed in 353/2 following the capture of the city and slaughter of its adult population by the general Chares (Diod. 16.34.3-4; IG II³ 1, 387); this would suggest that our family were pro-Athenian and had come to Athens before 353/2, a date consistent with the funerary relief and letter forms. For more detailed discussion of the inscription see AIUK 4.6 (BM, Funerary Monuments), no. 28.

Added: 6 Apr 2022
Updated: 6 Apr 2022
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